Eldest
by JumpingNightOwl
Summary: Regency era. Jane Bennet is the eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Growing up, she determines that it's up to her to take her family's future in her own hands.


Chapter 1

At fifteen years old, Jane was painfully aware of her family and their natures. Her parents were married, yet never expressed affection for one another nor seemed to respect the other. It had puzzled her, until one day when her Aunt Phillips minded her while her mother shopped, that Jane learned the story of her parents.

Her father, Mr. Bennet, had married a woman ten years his junior because he found her beautiful and thought she seemed intelligent.

Her mother, Mrs. Bennet, was the daughter of a local lawyer and wanted the security of being a member of the landed gentry. She knew with her looks and encouraging him to speak of his interests, she could obtain a proposal from the then young Mr. Bennet, heir to the local estate of Longbourn.

It wasn't long after the wedding that the bubble of marital bliss shattered and Mr. Bennet learned how silly and ignorant his wife truly was. After his realization, he started enclosing himself away to his study, not taking the effort to educate or assist his wife.

The new and young Mrs. Bennet was hurt at his pulling away and sought companionship from her sister and friends. She started gossiping more and more.

It wasn't until after Jane was born that Mrs. Bennet learned of the entail on the estate. If she didn't produce a son and heir, the estate would pass to another, leaving her homeless and reliant upon her dowry and family. After the birth of daughter after daughter, Mrs. Bennet grew more and more anxious, which led to her being even more obnoxious and sillier.

After her fifth daughter, the local midwife and doctor informed her she couldn't bear any more children and Mrs. Bennet's life became driven by fear. Fear of what would happen to her and her daughters if Mr. Bennet died and they lost their home and income.

Unfortunately, this fear, and Mrs. Bennet's consequent behavior, led Mr. Bennet to fully retreating to his study and indolent ways, where he performed only the minimally required management of his estate. He justified his lack of effort due to the fact that his estate would pass to his hated cousin, Mr. Collins and his son, upon his death.

Mrs. Bennet, now completely unchecked, never learned to regulate her behavior or her money, and thus grew to be the silliest spend-thrift in Hertfordshire.

These were the parents Jane knew as she grew up.

As Jane grew, her beauty grew. When her mother realized how beautiful she was becoming, she told Jane, "All of our hopes will be on you my dear girl. You must marry a rich gentleman and keep your sisters and I out of destitution." Mrs. Bennet would always end this with tears.

At fourteen years old, it was not the last time Jane heard such a remark from Mrs. Bennet.

* * *

The summer that Jane turned fourteen, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner visited Longbourn on their way back to London after their wedding tour. One morning, when Jane was showing the new Mrs. Madeleine Gardiner around the gardens of Longbourn, Mr. Bennet was in his study, and the young girls were in the nursery with the nanny/nursemaid, Mrs. Bennet started on her devious plan.

"Oh brother!" Mrs. Bennet exclaimed one morning. "How fortunate that you found such a woman to marry!" Mr. Gardiner smiled, about to thank his sister, "She must have a good fortune being the only child as she is."

Edward Gardiner shook his head, used to his sister's crude remarks. "Yes, I am indeed fortunate to have found Madeleine as my life partner. She," Mrs. Bennet interrupted.

"Yes, yes, and I am sure you are in wedded bliss. But you know," she said with a sly look on her face, "as a new bride, Madeleine will need some assistance in managing your home in London."

Edward grew alarmed, "My dear sister, as mistress of Longbourn, you couldn't possibly have the time to," he was interrupted again.

"Of course not me, you silly man! I am much too busy around here. As mistress of an estate, I have a great many tasks that keep me occupied," never mind that typically she left those tasks to the housekeeper, Mrs. Hill, "No, no, I am talking about taking Jane with you." She finished with a self-satisfied smile.

Mr. Gardiner contained his sigh of relief. "I am sure Madeleine would be happy to have the help, I will ask go now and ask her." He escaped the parlor to find his wife.

Back in the parlor, Fanny Bennet smiled in self-satisfaction and sipped her tea. Her plan would work. She would send Jane to London, her brother would take his new wife and Jane to parties to introduce them, Jane's beauty would draw interest from rich suitors, and Jane would come back after leaving behind enough intrigue for a proposal next year after her coming out. Plus, the fashionable clothes she would have and bring back! It was a perfect plan that couldn't possibly fail.

Edward Gardiner spoke to his wife Madeleine, asking if she would be amiable to Jane joining them in London. Madeleine, having learned that Jane was a dear sweet helpful girl these past few days, agreed to such a plan. They would take Jane back to London with them and Jane would help Madeleine in setting up the house.

And thus, when the new Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner left Longbourn, fourteen year old Jane Bennet accompanied them. The eldest Bennet daughter was going to London where she would begin her own plan for the future.

* * *

Author's Note

Despite years of being on this site, this is my first story. If you have any helpful hints, I am open to anything that would improve my writing. I hope there are some people who enjoy this story as it has been an idea stuck in my head for some time.

Update: I am so sorry everyone! I had copy & paste'd this story into FF from MS word and I have no clue where all this coding came from! Thank you for trying to read it anyway! As I was editing all that weird coding out, I noticed and updated a few things in this chapter to hopefully make this flow better.


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